Lord Haversham Takes Command Read Free Page B

choice. As the Viscount Haversham and the son of an earl, he is a fitting match for you in spite of your lack of title. The fact that you clearly adored him put an end to our anxiety over the matter.”
    “Adored him,” Mira mused as she slipped from her mother’s arms and went to the window that afforded the last view of Harry, the one from which he had ridden away four years prior. “Yes, I did adore him,” she murmured, “but
Harry
is no more.”

Chapter Two
    Harry rode away from the only place he had ever known true happiness and cursed himself for a fool. “Make that a fool twice over,” he muttered aloud, though there was no one present to hear him. It was foolish to run away from her, even more foolish to think he could hide anything from her — his darling, astute, and, in every way, adorable Mira. There was a part of him that hoped he would find her so altered he could no longer bring himself to love her. He uttered a harsh laugh at the thought. Not only was she just as genuine and impetuous as ever, she was superior in so many ways — even more lovely, more brilliant, and to his mingled admiration and horror, more perceptive. How could he have thought for a single moment he could manage to carry out his plans under her very nose? The only sensible answer was to steer clear of his heart’s desire though that same heart quailed at the thought.
    He must play out this charade for as many weeks as necessary, even if it meant she might never know how much he loved her, had loved none but her his whole life long. Worse, after this afternoon’s work, she would not care. How could she? If he were to execute his plan, he would be obliged to behave exactly as did his giddy mother and arrogant father. It was too dangerous to do otherwise. But how could Mira love such a man as he now appeared to be, a man with no care in the world but his privileged place in society and the quantity of lace at his throat? Lace! He couldn’t abide the stuff!
    With a savage kick to his undeserving mount, he broke into a gallop and streaked back to the Abbey in hopes he would have time to renew his cursedly fussy toilette and be out again for the evening before his Lord and Lady returned from wherever it was that had kept them occupied for the afternoon — not that there was much
divertissement
to be had in the country. It would prove easier to avoid a cozy evening by the fire with his parents once the Season had begun and they had all taken up residence at Haversham House in London.
    The thought of the Season brought fresh miseries to mind. This was to be Mira’s come-out, and there was no doubt of the approbation she would stir in the hearts of many. How would ‘Bertie’ stack up against the suitors who would vie for her hand? And how could Harry possibly abide the ever present George, Duke of Marcross, for even a moment? Memories of his arrogant disposition paired with an obsequious air filled Harry with revulsion, but there was no hope of escape if he intended to stay close to the Crenshaw clan.
    With a sigh, he admitted he must devise a way to tolerate George, as avoiding Mira was out of the question. What’s more, it was beyond his power. He knew it was swimming in deep water to attempt to win the heart and hand of his beloved while he maintained his cover in fulfillment of his mission, but the alternative did not bear thinking on. He had long thought it could never be — that he was unworthy of Mira — and had resolved to stay away from Prospero Park at any cost. Her brothers, however, had cajoled him into a visit, and now that he had seen her, spoken with her, he couldn’t give her up any more than he could the air he breathed.
    Upon his arrival at the Abbey, he barely looked up as he tossed the reins to the groom and wearily made his way inside with few thoughts other than to take a long bath and to make an early night of it without his mother and father discovering his whereabouts. However, in that he was sorely